One horse in trailer - can they move about too much?

Storminateacup

Storminateacup

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My Jack finding the trailer a bit narrow for him, so i was going to have single breast bar made up instead, however OH says the horse will move about to much if I do this?

Advice and comments please Thanks
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you will probably find that he will use the extra space to position himself at an angle across the trailer. This makes him more stable for travelling, and he will move about less! Giving a horse more room makes it easier for him to balance, and he will need to readjust himself less.
 
If I am not sharing the trailer I always take the partition out and give my mare the whole trailer. She hardly ever moves and she angles herself across the trailer. Years ago I had a mare that could only stand up if you removed the partition otherwise she would go down (very scarey !)
 
I have a little Bateson which is designed for 2 x 14.2.

Chancer fitted fine when I bought him home at 16 months but is now a strapping rising 4 and 15 hands. This year I took out the partition and bought the solid rear bar - front bar is already a solid one.

I cross tie him and he travels beautifully and far better than he did last year as I think he really likes to have extra space to plant himself.
 
My horse is much happier with the whole trailer and hardly moves at all. Just make sure that you cross tie them!
 
My horses prefer no partition. I only travel one at a time so its fine for me.
I cross tie and they can balance so much better normally standing at an angle.
 
Also do you think I should have a solid breech bar as he is a heavy old lump, and I was terrified when he started rubbing his bottom on the door.
Can the weight of the horse push the door open?
Another thing, how on earth do you load a horse on your own, Jack pulled back when I first put him in and now I am concerned that he may pull back when I get out the jockey door, to run round to move the partition and put the breech strap up.
I do have a quick release trailer tie, but can they turn the trailer over if they pull back?.
I am an old worry wart, I know, but I have always had a lorry before, so trailer seems so flimsy.

Finally, I just reversed him out of the trailer, which he did very quietly and happily. Although I have front unload it seemed that backwards, in his case, was likely to the safer bet, slower and more controlled.
If I take him out the front way I've got to have lowered the breast bar on both sides and moved the partition over sharpish, it would seem.
Otherwise the partition would make for a very tight corner to get his hip round.
If you have two in the trailer, and take them out the front ramp, how on earth do you do this without the horses panicing!
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I travel mine on his own in a 510 no partition. I use a full length breech and breast bar. He hardly moves and always ends up with his bum on the right and front end on the left. I lead him in, cross tie to string, walk down the side of him and put the breech bar up. A lot of people don't use a breech bar but I prefer it as saves the strain on the ramp. I got mine from Ifor Williams.

RE unloading. Personal opinion but I'd never reverse a Horse out as once they know they can do it it can't be a good thing when you load on your own. I know many people do though so it's only my opinion. I'd be worried about them throwing their head up and banging it too. No a Horse won't turn the trailer over as it's attached to your vehicle, plus, you should be tying to something that would snap in an emergency (like string).

Some Horses are reluctant in trailers and do panic a bit as it is a small gap coming out the front. Spending time practising and pushing them across a bit before coming out helps and ensuring they don't bang themselves.
 
Nothing wrong with travelling horses with a bit of space, my share horse doesn't particularly like being squished in so his owner bought him a "one and a half" horse trailer (not quite as big as a two horse with no partition, but not quite as small as a normal one horse) and he loves it. I'm borrowing it to move my horse to her new field, as she's almost too fat to fit into a single narrow partition
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and she likes the space as well and doesn't kick so much.
 
I travelled my 16.2 mare in a 510. When she had her foal I removed the partitions and bought a full lenght breast bar. On her first journey, plus first journey for 2 month old foal (The day the pictured below was taken) I'd only travelled for about 7 miles when there was a awful bang from the trailer and it started to rock a bit. I quickly pulled over to find she had broken free and turned in the box, so that she was looking out the back (I'd a foal grill up) The foal was happy at her chest and she seemed happy to travel this way.

So to answer your question - yes mine moved around A LOT!!
 
I travel my mare with the partition coz she leans on it. Without it she thrashes around and makes the trailer move too much.
 
Merlin falls over and struggles terribly in a the trailer with a partition in. I have taken it out and he now travels without a sound....

He is the opposite of others though.... he seems to want to be bum on the left of the trailer and head on the right!!!!
 
I travel my mare without a partition and usually she is fine.

However, on the way hunting yesterday she managed to turn round and apparently spent most of the journey with her head hanging out the back!!

I made sure she was securely tied on the way home!!
 
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